-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Because nobody wants to support a loser….

-WHIFF-

Was the only sound that could be heard after Ace Baldwin let those words utter from his lips as he held a hand over his eyes as he watched for something. It was the same position a captain would make looking ashore, or maybe someone looking off a distant mountain top for some type of answer to some unanswered and unasked question.  He looked back down and shrugged his shoulders up and down and took a deep breath before he swung some unseen object again, the same sound could be heard.

-WHIFF-

A couple of steps away would reveal an Ace Baldwin in a pair of khaki shorts, a Callaway visor over his brown rifts of hair and a purple striped polo shirt which was tucked into his shorts, with a pair of golf shoes on his feet as he warmed up at the driving range, a golf cart parked behind him and the club house just a few steps away, he wrapped his white gloved hands around his golf club, a driver as he sat another ball onto the tee and talked to himself, under his breath as he looked to the 320 marker.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
A losing streak, the last thing I wanted in the SCW. I was 4-1 here in the SCW, the only loss coming from a cluster f#ck match where Carter lucked up and got a briefcase, I wasn’t even defeated, but then I lost my first singles match, then my first tag my disqualification because Carter decides to bring a chair into the ring, after we had a two on one advantage so he and his newly acquired buddy could double-team a helpless guy in the ring, but I didn’t take part in that, I don’t play that. I may be team Erik, I may have given my allegiance to the son of a bitch, but I won’t take any part in that…No sir.

He lifted the club back up from the ground and struck the ball as it curved but curved just enough to land a couple of feet in front of the 320 mark as Ace furrowed his brow as he straightened his visor to keep the sun out of his eyes and dropped another ball onto the colorful tee he had planted into the ground as he sighed again and lowered his shoulders, he lifted the club again, but in his back swing his phone began to ring as he connected with the ball but it sliced to the right.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Damn it, right in the middle of my backswing…Scott Oliver again, wanting an interview again, people calling my phone off the hook, Derek wanting to train and know where I’ve been, Oliver and every other who’s who of SCW media wanting answers, why I chose team Erik, why I aligned myself with such scum….The fact is I probably can’t answer that myself right now, Derek wants to know where my head is, why I’m such a flake…It’s because I can’t figure it out.

He took another healthy swing on the ball, this time it went well beyond the 320 mark, quite a drive as, by the looks of it, Ace had been working on his golf swing in the Nevada spring instead of indoors working on his wrestling, his pocket and his in-ring skills had suffered, as saw by his loss to Jordan Williams just two weeks ago. Regardless, being out of Nevada had hurt his golf game, but didn’t stop him from finding one in Buenos Aires, Olivos Golf Club to be exact.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
And Derek is right, I can’t continue to push myself into this hole every time I fool around a lose a match, but I took Jordan lightly—and I shouldn’t have. He’s a carbon copy of every single wrestler I’ve ever faced, no originality, no charisma, nothing special. Yet I dropped a match to him, but that should have lit a fire under me, not dug me down into a state of depression where all I do is want to golf, but maybe it’s more than that, maybe it’s something else that’s bothering me, but I don’t want to become some depressed asshole, this is a cutthroat business, and regardless of wins or loses I still have a championship around my waste…But I want more.

Ace actually glanced back to his golf cart, where his tag title was haphazardly hanging out of his golf bag. He carried it everywhere, even though he had tasted success, it had been few and far between, so this wasn’t something he took lightly. He looked back down at his phone as it buzzed, once again Derek Daniels, his mentor, his trainer and his manager. He had been calling for a week straight after he had left Ace for a week to take care of some of his own business and make a few appearances. He knew to get the “more” he wanted, which was the Roulette championship and then the SCW belt, he would need Derek and his expertise, but he was just too stubborn to listen to Derek at the moment.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Maybe it’s Carter who has continued to beat me down and berate me at every opportunity, while I troll him on Twitter and call us best friends, he can’t handle the fact in his own little perfect world that his ego cannot accept the fact I bettered him one time, but maybe it’s getting to me, regardless, we work well as a team and I’m willing to put my neck on the line for that asshole, even if he isn’t willing to do it for me to keep these belts around my waist…But I do want more, and I have a chance to prove that when I step into the ring against Spike Staggs and Thatcher Rex…The Roulette Champion, and alongside me Kevin Carter the man who stole that briefcase and will benefit from him by having new gold around his waist, because he’s too good not to. It’s my turn to show these guys I can hang, and it’s my turn to show these guys that I am better than every, single, one of them.

His phone buzzed again, it was Derek. Funny to think that Derek was probably blundering around in Argentina, trying to find Ace, but Ace made him pretty hard to find. He knew when Derek came back; he wouldn’t have to see him until the show, because Derek couldn’t find him.

Ace hopped in his golf cart and drove along the cart paths before he hopped off at the first hole and aimed it up, this was his first time playing the course, but he was good enough to where he was up for the challenge. He put his ball down, aimed it up…

-WHIFF-

The ball went up into the clear blue sky with a silky smooth rotation as it landed beautifully on the green as Ace smiled as he glanced down at his phone he had silenced, Derek was calling once again.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Give it up man…

He said as he turned around, he hadn’t heard the golf cart that had pulled up behind him, nor did he hear the footsteps behind him, nor did he hear the dialing of his number on the cell phone, as he ignored Derek’s call as he turned, he glanced to the person waiting, not really looking at them. He looked to his phone and walked toward his golf cart.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You can go ahead and play through if you like, or I’ll only—

He stopped dead as he looked up to see a grinning Derek Daniels, it wasn’t a HEY nice to see you grin, but more of a strained anger. He walked over and patted Ace roughly on the shoulder as Ace looked to him.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Ohhh…Hey Derek, coming to play some gold today? I mean, that’s totally what I’ve been doing, besides training for my match this week of course.

Derek didn’t look happy, nor did he look angry as he walked over and leaned against the golf cart as he pulled one of Ace’s clubs from the bag, the nine iron to be exact as he looked at it. He looked at Ace with a smirk.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
As much as I’d like to take this club and wrap it around your head, I’m not going to, because I don’t blame you for getting out on the course, maybe that’s what you need. Maybe you need to get out and get away from all this, but that doesn’t deny the fact that you have…A lot of questions that need to be answered. Hell, the people are still cheering you even though you are with Team Erik. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for you, but you can’t lose your focus now.

Ace, while Derek talked was fiddling around with a golf ball at his feet with the club in his hand as he knocked it back and forth. He nodded and looked up to Derek.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I know..I just don’t want to fail. I’m not a big fan of losing streaks, you know I fall back into a funk when I start losing, and when I start getting beat like I did against Jordan Williams, just odd circumstances, it seems luck is never on my side, it seems I can’t get into a groove, and that sucks. Meanwhile Kevin Carter is at the top and getting all the fame, all the glory and—

Derek raised a finger.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
And getting booed out of the building because how annoying he is and how his vocabulary is that of a middle schooler, look you have a chance to step into the ring with three main players this week and show you belong. Spike Staggs is the best thing going right now in the SCW and one of the better champions I have seen on this independent scene in some time. Then you have Rex, who is the Roulette champion and has been nothing short of impressive, and your partner, Kevin Carter as much as you may not want to admit it, can go and has sealed the deal for him to be on top in this federation for years to come if he wants to. Do you belong?

Ace looked at Derek and nodded as he glanced over at his tag team belt, he pulled it out and looked down at it and then back to Derek.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Oh hell yeah, I belong. There isn’t anything in me that says I don’t belong in this match, there is a great quote that says, if you think you can or you can’t..You’re right. I honestly believe I belong, I believe I belong with the greats and when it’s all said and done, I want my name up in lights as the headliner in this federation. I tasted success too young, I want longevity, I don’t want to be a flash in the pan. Everyone who has laid eyes on me says I have the potential to rock the very foundation of this wrestling company and I want to prove them right. I don’t want to fade out in a couple of months because I don’t want to do it anymore, but it’s the decisions that’s weighing on me…Why did I choose Team Erik, where is it going to take me? I’m not like the rest of them…

Derek nodded as he toyed with the club in his hand and he looked over to Ace as they hopped in his golf cart after putting the belt back in the bag as they drove down the cart path toward the green as Ace got out and walked toward his ball as he still held conversation with Derek.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
It was a…Interesting choice to say the least, but I understand why. Kevin is your partner, and even though you guys hate one another’s guts, you guys actually make tags to one another and have some chemistry in the ring, because you both have that desire to win, that competitive fire that you can’t teach anywhere. Do I think you’re ready to step in the ring, in a singles match with Spike Staggs? No. You’re not ready for that, do I think you’re ready to step into the ring and beat Rex? Absolutely, do I think in this tag match right now you have the chance to shine, and even get one over on the champion? I think so. It doesn’t matter in the end what team you are on, it matters how you perform in that ring that the fans will remember and in the end, when this is all said and done, you will remember.

Ace nodded and lined up his ball and swung on the par four as it spun through the air and landed on the green, taking a few gentle bounces that sat him pretty for a putt shot for birdie. He looked to Derek and put his club over his shoulder.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I just don’t want to be brought down by the scum I’m working with. I don’t want to be remembered, if this all comes out that Team Erik loses and are put down at the bottom, I don’t want to be remembered as a loser, as the ones who pick up the scraps. I want to be remembered as the guy who stood firm after all this, and didn’t go with the side people thought he would, and still did the right thing, and won the right way. I want to be the guy at the end of the day with my hand raised, and whether it is with Team Erik or Team SCW…I don’t care. That is as irrelevant to me as to what Carter thinks of me. I just want to win, does that sound simple?

Derek laughed as he walked with Ace up a small slope and between two sand traps as he lined up the putter that Derek had grabbed and brought over to him as Ace lined up the putt and aimed as Derek spoke.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Easier said than done, my friend. The SCW is so jammed packed full of talent, you’re never going to have it easy, so you should be thankful for the wins you’ve picked up thus far. All I know is this: you are in a spot this weekend to do something special, you are in a spot to move yourself higher on that totem pole, regardless of what happens, regardless honestly of who wins, you need to go in there and show that you want this more than Kevin Carter, that you want this more than Rex, and Spike. You want this more than anyone, and I haven’t seen that fire from you in the last two weeks, I haven’t seen you bring it, I haven’t seen you want it. Do you want it?

Ace lined up the putt and it gently rolled across the smooth green and he sank the putt as he smirked as he raised up with the ball in his hand and nodded.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
About as bad as I wanted a birdie on this first hole. I’m just tired of hanging with the big dogs. I’m ready to compete with the big dogs. I’m ready to knock off someone like Spike, but do you think Carter is going to give me that opportunity? Do you think he’ll stand aside and let me in the ring to get a pin fall over Spike or hell, probably even Rex? He stole the pin to win the tag titles after I dominated the match, and I’m never going to hear the end of how he carried the team.

Derek shrugged as they walked back slowly to the golf cart as Ace tossed his club and putter back into his bag and got into the driver’s seat.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Then don’t worry about what Carter wants you to do and take it. Show him you mean business, you’ve been nothing but a successful and great partner thus far, he lost that match for you guys last week, he snuck in and grabbed the pin when you guys won the belts. It’s really easy to do the wrong thing and be the bad guy like Kevin Carter, it’s super easy to act like a badass, and like you’re the coolest guy in the room, what it’s not easy to do is do the right thing, and win while doing the right thing, like you’re doing, but this week….I don’t care if you have to club Kevin Carter in the face to win the match by yourself…Do it, show him you don’t need him, shut him up, shut his mouth and hopefully he’ll keep it shut for good. You feel me?

Ace nodded as he drove onto the next hole and walked up to tee off as he swung his club a couple of times for a practice swing or two.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Sounds good, as bad as I hate to say it, I kind of want him in the ring again, but at the same time, I want to prove him wrong and prove everyone else wrong by sticking together, and working together and holding onto the tag titles, because I don’t want to let them go, I want to be a double-champion. I want to win that Roulette title too, and I want the management, or whoever to know that I’m ready for that challenge, and if Carter wins the SCW title, then awesome, we are the best thing going in SCW, and we hate each other, what would that say about how good I am? Or how good we both are. Look, if the people want to know why I chose Team Erik, sign me up for a promo with Oliver Wood, or Scott Oliver, or whatever his name is…I’ll let people know what’s going on…

Derek nodded and checked his watch, his golf cart just a jog away as he looked to Ace and pulled out his phone and began working on a text message.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Alright, give me an hour to work on this and I should have you in front of a camera, or maybe have Oliver give you a couple of questions, although I could probably do it better because I’m not stoned out of my mind.

Derek and Ace chuckled as Derek walked off back toward his cart as Ace teed off at the next hole; the ball flew high into the air with perfect rotation…

A few hours later, it was a different Ace Baldwin we see, dressed in a shirt which read “Who’s in the Danger Zone” with a silhouette of Macho Man Randy Savage, and a pair of jeans. He sat in a chair in front of Scott Oliver who’s eyes were a little red, hair in a tussle, but he looked prepared enough as a camera was sat up between them, it seemed to be already rolling.

-Scott Oliver:-
Hellooo from Scott Oliver, here on SCW.COM and I’m sitting here live with “Amazing” Ace Baldwin, who…Has won a few matches in the SCW already, am I right?

Ace looked a bit annoyed as he leaned forward with his fists in his lap, clasped together, intertwined with his fingers as he looked forward.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah, I’ve been in the SCW for a few months now, Scott, but this is our first meeting, so it’s really good to sit down with you. I had very HIGH expectations that we would be doing this interview a lot sooner than later.

Scott picked up on the pun and laughed and pointed at Ace as then went back to a semi-serious face, he didn’t have any notes prepared in front of him, just a pair of slacks and a messy dress shirt. He looked over to Ace.

-Scott Oliver:-
Well, regardless you have been the talk of the SCW message boards as of late, wondering why you would join Team Erik. You don’t seem like the guy to join a side, you don’t seem like the guy to want to go against the flow of things, but you did. Can you tell us why you made this choice?

Ace lowered his head for the moment and took a deep breath before he looked up and then nodded toward the camera.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I thought Team Erik was the best choice for me because my tag partner, Kevin Carter was in cahoots with Team Erik, and I thought for the moment, that maybe if I joined, I wouldn’t have to be looking over my shoulder 24/7, and I wouldn’t have to worry about getting jumped from behind, and so far, so good. They’ve not had their eyes on me, instead they’ve had their eyes on whoever we step into the ring with, and double teaming and beating them up. While I’m not a super hero, I’m not going to jump in there and try to save whoever Carter and whoever else is going to beat up, I’m not going to help them either. It comes down to this, this is a cut throat business, if you don’t jump on something right away, if you wait around forever, then you’re going to get left behind very, very quickly. I’m not going to let this team thing quell my momentum, I’m going to keep it going, and I’m going to keep it going by pinning the SCW champion, Spike Staggs…

Scott looked a little bit taken a back at the strong words from Ace, but Ace looked determined as ever as he curled one hand into a fist, he didn’t even let Scott speak, as Scott stayed silent.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Because let me tell you something, all of this taking a crap on Ace Baldwin, it stops now. That means you, Kevin Carter, even though you are my partner, I’ve sit back and taken the high road with you time and time again, I troll you on Twitter, I let you have your fun because in the end I know I’m a better wrestler than you. In the end I know I’m better liked than you and in the end I know that it’ll be me, not you standing atop that mountain, but at the time being, we’ve got to be partners, and I’m okay with that, I’m okay with tagging with you, but it ends now. If we lose, it’s going to be because you got pinned, if we win? It’s going to be because I won the match for us. So step aside, junior, and let the real wrestler go to work, and not the ultra-God-awesome guy of wrestling, Kevin Carter.

He shrugged.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I don’t have anything against Spike Staggs, I think he’s a great champion, Scott, but I’ve got to make a name for myself somehow, and beating Goth and Lucien whoever and Kevin Carter isn’t going to do it, making a name off of those guys aren’t going to get me anywhere in this business and I get that, because in the end Ric Flair had it right all along, to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man, and I plan on beating the man this Sunday at Climax Control, I plan on pinning our champion here in the SCW one…Two…Three, and not for team Erik, or not because I want to get one over on Team SCW, no, you see, this is for something I’m calling…Team Ace.

Scott looked a bit dumbfounded as he looked over at Ace and scratched his head a couple of times before he spoke, but Ace was fired up, so he was a bit scared to speak at the moment.

-Scott Oliver:-
Um, Team Ace? I didn’t know that was a thing, or a real team?

Ace smirked and nodded.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Oh, it’s a real thing now, because I plan on winning this weekend, and it’s going to be for my enjoyment only, not the enjoyment of our team, not the enjoyment for Kevin Carter, but I’ll lead us to victory, because I’m sick and tired of playing the understudy role to Kevin Carter just because he has a briefcase in his hand, the fans want to see one man, and one man only. That is Ace Baldwin. They cheer me if I’m on team Erik, they cheer me if I’m on team SCW, but I’m on Team Ace, and I’m on Team Ace with each and every one of those SCW fans behind me, because with them, I don’t need Erik Staggs, I don’t need Kevin Carter, I only need me, myself and I. What a stable that could be.

Scott still looked a bit confused as he looked over at Ace and tried to put two and two together to no avail at the moment.

-Scott Oliver:-
So does that mean you are still on Team Erik? Or does this mean you have defected into your own team, I’m not quite following you.

Ace leaned forward and held a hand out slowly to Scott Oliver.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’m going to speak nice and slow so you can understand me Scott. I’m still on Team Erik, but what I’m saying is it doesn’t matter, because when these two teams self-destruct and none remain, there will be one remaining, and that will be me. I’m not being brought down because one team wins or loses, I’m going to stay right here, and stay the same.  Because you see, both of these teams are short term, it’ll all get sorted out at the end, and while people may move on, or up and down. One thing is going to remain, that I will still be standing, that I will be ready to take on all challengers whether it be on Team Erik or Team SCW, in a couple of months that isn’t going to matter, what is going to matter is a win, a win over the champion, which is what I’m going to get, not try to get, what I’m going to do.

Scott Oliver nodded as he shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat as he looked to Ace as Ace had a cool smirk in his chair.

-Scott Oliver:-
Well, there is another one you haven’t mentioned in this match and that is Thatcher Rex, the current Roulette Champion, there’s going to be a lot of gold in this match, that is for sure, but are you worried about him as a threat?

Ace casually shook his head as he simply smirked again after he got done listening to the question of Scott and rolled his neck, he was ready to get into the ring right now, he didn’t want to wait until Sunday.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, and I left him last for a reason, Scott. You see. I don’t want to be worried about Rex, because Rex…Should be worried…About me. I have the tag titles right now, but I’m not happy with them. I want to add to my collection, I want to rise to the top here in the SCW and how can I do that? How can I achieve greatness? By winning more gold, you see I’m set up perfectly on my rise to the top to capture every belt SCW has to offer, my first win was the tag title belts, now I have a chance to throw Rex around the ring some, show he isn’t the champion the SCW thinks he is. Let me tell something to Rex if he is watching, you better shine and polish that belt up really nice, and take good care of it, because I’m going to be the one, eventually, to beat you for it. And I don’t want to beat anyone else, Rex. I want to beat you. You see, you want to base all of this around your name being T-Rex, well you and a T-Rex have something in common, your arms aren’t long enough to reach where I’m going, your arms aren’t long enough to climb to the very top, because that’s where Ace Baldwin is going to be, and the tag titles is just the beginning, I’m coming for them all.

He shrugged.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Spike, you can wait a little longer, because I know when Kevin Carter gets up to you, he’s going to fail, and fail miserably, because he doesn’t have what it takes, I know you see it in me, Spike, more than you see it in him. I know deep down you know eventually it’ll be ME standing across that ring from you and it’ll be ME standing over you holding that belt to the cheers of the people….It’ll be ME, and it’ll be…Simply…Amazing…

He breathed in the air as he closed his eyes as Scott Oliver watched on as Ace looked forward to the camera, as if he was speaking directly to anyone who was watching, he had even forgotten Scott Oliver was even in the room at the moment.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
This match isn’t about good guys or bad guys, it isn’t about teams, it isn’t about the gold belt each of us will carry to the ring, this match will end on one note and one note only, it’ll be the coming out party for Ace Baldwin, it’ll be the moment that each of you realize what I am capable of doing when I want to do it, and that should scare you, it should scare you that I can turn it on and off in the blink of an eye, it should scare you that I have another level that I haven’t even touched it, and it should scare you…Scare you because things will never…EVER…Be the same, it’s just starting…And you’re all about to be a part of it.

He didn’t say goodbye to Scott Oliver, he merely got up, grabbed the tag title that sat at his feet and put it over his shoulder and walked out of the room Scott sat in, now alone with a camera, not really knowing what to do next as the screen faded to black.

 “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill

Derek Daniels bounded off the ropes and send a shoulder block to Ace Baldwin as his back hit the mat of the old, tattered wrestling ring, he grunted as he rolled over to his stomach lazily and Derek dropped an elbow on his back, with a sickening thud, Ace rolled over and stood up to be grabbed and suplexed rather easily by Derek. He arched his back and winced and held onto it as Derek, for what seemed like the 40th time this morning, tossed Ace between the ropes and out of the ring on the thin padding outside, he rolled and stood up and slapped the apron as Derek, full on in his ring attire adjusted his elbow pad as he watched Ace who was frustrated.

The duo seemed to be in some sort of old gymnasium of some sorts, with wooden bleachers which were dusty and pushed up against the wall, what this old gymnasium did home was two, old, wooded, painted basketball goals on either side, with chipped paint on the floor, it seemed this place was long forgotten. Each wall was placed with five windows which were grimy, but not grimy and mildewed enough to let the Nevada sunlight peek through the dirt and grime.

Derek wore a cut off with MMSW across the chest and his red and gold ring attire, complete with his boots and elbow and knee pads. Ace wore his own ring attire as well, with knee pads, and only one elbow pad as he walked around the apron before he slid onto it with one knee, but Derek was waiting for him and nailed him with a picture perfect drop kick. Ace’s back hit the apron as he rolled back off into the floor holding his head. Derek kicked the ropes as he looked down at Ace.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
What the hell is wrong with you, Ace? What is going on with you? You’re letting me kick your ass this morning and it’s too easy. What is your issue, dude?

Ace waved Derek off as he walked around the outside of the ring; it was just a ploy, probably by Derek to get into Ace’s head, if there was already enough going on up there already. Ace slapped the apron and slid back into the ring, he took a few hard shots from Derek’s boots but fought to his feet and connected with a forearm that barely phased Derek as he spun Ace around and gave him a hip toss, Ace hopped up to receive a back elbow, he felt blood gush from his lip as he stood up and ran at Derek again who tossed him over the top rope and then kicked the ropes.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Come on! What is wrong with you? Get it together! I don’t even know who you are anymore, is this the kid I trained, or some scrub? Get up!

Ace’s head spun as he got to his feet and he crawled toward the apron but Derek had got tired of waiting and had split the ropes and hopped down and smacked him in the back of the head. Ace tripped and fell onto the padded outside.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Get up! What’s wrong?

Ace shook it off and finally blocked another slap from Derek and swung for a punch, just to land something but Derek ducked it and shoved Ace into the rusty ring post as it ‘pinged’ as his noggin bounced off of it. Ace tried to clear the cobwebs as Derek wasted no time and rolled him back into the ring.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Just..Just give me a minute, damn it!

Derek didn’t as he Irish whipped Ace into the corner and followed it with a knee strike that doubled Ace over and Derek shook his head.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
No, you’ve had a minute, you’ve had more than a minute to recover from your match at the super-show. You’ve had at least a week and a half to recover from your match at Blaze of Glory II, now get up and show me something, where is the fight? Where is it?

Ace dodged a clothesline but tripped up and landed in the corner as he cowered to try and get up as Derek watched him pitifully.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
If you don’t give me some kind of fight, give me an answer, I’m going to beat you, right here in this ring within an inch of your career. I didn’t throw away and piss away all I had going on to come here and help some fickle wanna-be. I came here to coach the best of the best, that’s what I told I was getting, what is this? What am I getting? TRASH!

He forced a knee into the head of Ace who was already dazed and had blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth and now his nose as each time Derek drove a point home he drove it with a knee to the head.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I told you, I’m not putting up with you digging yourself into some emotional hole, shape up, get it together, pick it up…Get up, Baldwin! Get up! I said get UP!

He sent another knee into the side of Ace’s head as he curled up into the corner, under the bottom turnbuckle as Derek shook his head and gave Ace a hard stomp to the back as Ace looked up to Derek and held his hand out but Derek kept stomping until Ace was pressed between the bottom turnbuckle and the ring post. Derek backed away as he sat on his hunches in the middle of the ring and waited for Ace to get up, finally, bruised and beaten Ace got to his feet and looked over to Derek as he wiped a bit of blood from his mouth and stood up on shaky legs as he stood up and leaned in the turnbuckle and looked up to Derek.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Derek, I lost. I failed. That briefcase was mine for the taking and low and behold I let that asshole Kevin Carter luck right into it. That’s what bothers me, Derek. It isn’t that I lost the match, it isn’t Kevin Carter got the briefcase, it’s because I had a chance, and I failed because I let a guy just fall into the cage with the briefcase in his hands, it’s the worst feeling ever, and I can’t shake it. I can’t win the big one, time and time again, I’ve failed, and after a while, that really gets to you.

Derek crossed his arms and walked over to the opposite corner and popped himself up and sat on the top turnbuckle as he looked as Ace dropped down into his corner.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I understand, but you cannot fall into this same losing funk you did in the GIW, this happened once before, losing streak, you lose that fire, you lose that flame. Kid, you’re still undefeated in singles action in the SCW. I know it bums you out Kevin Carter got that briefcase, hell, it bums me out to see someone so generic and undeserving, but you made that guy tap out…

Ace nodded and grinned.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I did, and it felt damn good making him tap in the center of the ring, but people like him, man. They don’t remember that stuff, it’ll never be brought up again, short term memory, but it just sucks that I’m going to have to see him walking up and down these halls with that golden briefcase, knowing that he’s going to sit on it until all eyes are on him, until everyone is watching, because Kevin Carter is an all eyes on me type of guy, he’s an attention whore…But I can’t fault him, I’d do the same damn thing if I was walking around backstage with that thing.

Derek smirked and nodded and hopped down from his perch and pulled on the ropes and looked to Ace as he lowered his head.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
That’s why I think…You and Kevin Carter aren’t very different, that’s why you two don’t see eye to eye and that’s why you hate one another, you both hate one another because you are so much alike. That being said…

Ace wasn’t hearing none of it though as he shook his head vigorously as Derek talked about he and Carter being cut from the same cloth. Ace kept shaking his head.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, we aren’t anything alike. I don’t have the move set of a 99 overall create a wrestler, like a top rope Canadian Destroyer splash or whatever the hell he does. I don’t have to call someone a “faggot” every other word because I do not have the vocabulary of a eighth grader. I don’t have a fiancé who can barely string together a sentence to cut a promo for a match, I don’t have cross eyes, and I’m not a mouth breather.

Derek smirked and got back into the middle of the ring as Ace started to get back a little of that swagger as he came out of his corner as well as he walked around Derek, Derek followed stride as they walked around each other.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
True, but he has a fiancé, and you know what else separates you guys? He has a golden briefcase that will ensure him a title shot of his choosing at any show, do you have that? No…But I talked to SCW management, and they let me know about your next match, that is if you get your head out of your ass and decide you actually want it.

Ace looked up to Derek, he looked some sorts of a dog that just heard the word “ball” or “bone” as he eyed Derek. Derek had a wide, tree-frog like grin on his face as he crossed his arms.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Please, please tell me I get to face Kevin Carter again, the fact is I beat him once one on one and I’ll beat him again one on one, he got lucky, plain and simple, he isn’t the better man.

Derek pondered how to answer this for a moment, but he dodged around the question with a question of his own.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
How about this? How about if I asked you if you were ready to step into the ring for championship gold, what would you say? Would you accept it? Would you be happy?

Ace scoffed at this comment and crossed his arms as he leaned up against the top rope and kind of bounced off it as he nodded cockily.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
In a second, and I’ve earned it too, I just came up short for that briefcase and I’m undefeated in singles action like I’ve said countless times, and I’ve proven myself on the microphone, and everywhere else SCW has put me. I’m ready for some gold…Let’s hear it.

Derek smirked again, Ace could tell he was waiting for the payoff, but he had played this game before as Ace turned and cracked his neck and bounced.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yeah, you got a shot at gold this week, kid. Proud of you, but it’s not for a singles belt, it’s for the tag team championships against Blood Omen, or whatever they are called, Frost and Kain, two of the more upper echelon of the SCW…

Ace stopped in his tracks before he looked over to Derek who still had a grin on his face as Ace put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So, if I put two and two together then in my head, that means I would be required to have a tag team partner, but judging by the names I don’t really need them, about time someone knocked these two off, regardless, did you come out of retirement? Who is it? Who is my partner?

Derek chuckled as he leaned against the top rope and laughed a little more before he chuckled once more and then cleared his throat.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Kevin Carter.

Ace laughed so hard he had to hold onto the top rope, he straightened up as Derek watched him and wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, really…Who is it?

Derek nodded again.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
It’s Kevin Carter, Ace.

Ace shook his head as Derek walked over to underneath one of the bottom turnbuckles and picked up his Iphone and brought it over to Ace, he scrolled through a couple of emails and then held the phone up to Ace who’s jaw dropped. He yelled out something even Kevin Carter would be proud of.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
F*CK, what?! What kind of knucklehead would put me and that idiot in the same corner, am I even going to have a partner? Can he even find the ring without a sign post? Will his head fit through the entrance curtain? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? Is the world ending?

Ace paced back and forth as he said these things as Derek just chuckled, he, for one could not wait to see these two in one another’s corner for the championship match on Climax Control.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
No, the world isn’t ending, but this is a title shot. A TITLE SHOT, championship gold, and I know Carter has already been going around and yapping about how he will be the first every one man tag team champion and what not—

Ace opened his mouth to say something and Derek held his hand up to silence him.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
But let him talk, Ace. Look, I scheduled an interview with you Belinda Simone, one of the voices of SCW, she’s a hard one to get to interview, but it’s going to be your first sit down interview since you’ve been in the SCW, cameras are going to be on and there, and it may air during Climax Control, but definitely on SCW.Com and Youtube, and I know, I KNOW you want to give it to Kevin Carter, I know you want to trash him, I know you don’t want to tag with him, but I’m going to be there, and I’m going to give you one piece of advice…Take the high road.

Ace looked at him curiously as it was Ace’s turn to hop up on the top turnbuckle to pop a squat as Derek stood in the middle of the ring.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What do you mean take the high road? I want to defend myself after all this guy said about me, he doesn’t want to admit we are equal…

Derek nodded and then tapped his chin and pointed at Ace as Ace watched him very quizzically, to see where Derek was going with this.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
How hard is it to make up insults about people? Hell, you’ve just spent 30 minutes running down Kevin Carter with ease. Do your thing with Kain and Frost, run them down, trash them, do whatever, I don’t care, but you know what’s going to make Carter the maddest? Praise him, talk about how great he is, talk about how good of a teammate you are going to be, and go out there and do it, because you know what? No matter what Carter says, no matter how much he acts like he’s the one man show, he’s going to need you at some point, and he doesn’t want to lose, more importantly he doesn’t want that L to be on him. I know it sucks, but go out there and win them in spite of Kevin Carter, in spite of what he is saying…How bad can it be carrying a belt around everywhere, eh?

Ace thought about it and pondered it and then sighed as he looked down at his boots and then up to Derek and he nodded and looked up.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
It sucks, and it’s going to be tough not to run him down in front of everyone, and I can’t deny that I am salty as hell that he got that briefcase and I didn’t, but all of that being said? I’m going to do it, I’ll give him his credit, where it is due, and I’m going to win the tag titles, and at the end of the night, he’s either going to say he won it all by himself or that I lost it for them, and I’m okay with that. I’m dealing with a guy who as a kid was the guy on the playground who when playing pretend always had the 16 impenetrable shields and the master God sword or whatever, he’s that guy, but I’ve always dealt with that kid well when I was a youngster, and I can put up with Kevin Carter as my tag team partner.

Derek nodded as he went to step out of the ring, he split the middle ropes and began to walk out before Ace put a hand on his shoulder and whipped him back into the ring, he slapped the taste out of his mouth as Derek looked furious at Ace and then swung at him, Ace ducked and dropped Derek with a drop toe hold, then bounced back to his feet the same time Derek did and dropped him with a missile drop kick and then let out a war cry as Derek rolled out for a breather and smirked.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I didn’t say I was done yet, hell, for you, I’m just getting started and the same goes for the SCW, I may have been beaten, but I’m not done, just because I lost, don’t mean I’m a loser. I’m bringing home those tag team titles…Let’s go!
He motioned for Derek to get back into the ring and so he did…

-Later that week-

Placed in a nice conference room hotel was two chairs sat up across from one another, already in one of the chairs placed in front of one of the cameras was Belinda Simone, who was dressed in a nice ladies suit as she seemed to be going over her notes, a couple of lights were set up as well. She seemed to be waiting for someone, until finally through both of the double doors, Ace Baldwin walked through, wearing one of his nicest, gray suits. He had on a matching tie, and shined shoes as he shook hands with Belinda, they exchanged pleasantries before the cameras were running, and Ace about to be grilled by Belinda, on the bright side, Derek had made his way in and stood just out of camera shot, behind Belinda.
Belinda turned and smiled to the camera between her and Ace.

-Belinda Simone:-
Good evening and welcome to another edition of Inside SCW, I’m here with one of the newest wrestlers here in the SCW, and he’s been rather impressive with only one loss on his record, and singles matches he is a perfect 3-0. I’m sitting with “Amazing” Ace Baldwin, Ace…How has your time in SCW been thus far?

Ace smiled to Belinda and leaned forward in his chair as he flashed his pearly whites for the camera and the lights.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Well, it’s been great Belinda, now that I’ve had a chance to be questioned by you. I appreciate your work, regardless. SCW has been just what I expected; it’s a tough out every night out. It isn’t easy, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. I’m used to competition. I’m used to the grind, and I’m used to coming out each and every night and knowing that the guy across from me could beat me just as easily as I could beat him, it’s been a blast and I can’t wait to continue to extend and leave my legacy.

Belinda, as Ace spoke glanced down at the small note cards in her hand as she shifted them around as she listened and nodded.

-Belinda Simone:-
Well, you have been a joy to call, and to watch, but last week you suffered a minor setback as you came up just short against four other men in a match for the golden briefcase, how did you rebound from that in the last week? How did you feel when you saw Kevin Carter with that briefcase?

She smiled to him as Ace gritted his teeth as she began to talk about Kevin Carter, even that name pissed him off at this point.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You bring up a great point, let me tell you about that as-

Derek began motioning ‘NO’ to Ace as he sat in his chair across from Belinda who looked at him oddly as he stopped mid sentence as he saw Derek, he looked back to Belinda and swallowed.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Erm, I mean he’s awesome. He’s a great, fiery competitor. You know, I was a bit mad when I looked over, I didn’t even realize, the competitor in me kept battling Argento to try and get him down and out, I didn’t even think-even fathom that Kevin Carter was up, but kudos to him for a heads up play, that’s the way a match like that goes, it’s a crap shoot, and Carter happened upon it and hit the lottery. No hard feelings.

Belinda nodded and Derek gave Ace a thumbs up from behind her as Ace nodded, a stage hand pulled up a small monitor between Belinda and Ace and Ace looked at it oddly as Belinda spoke.

-Belinda Simone:-
Well, funny how you should mention Kevin Carter, because the SCW has definitely paired an odd couple together as you and Kevin Carter himself will be teaming up to go against the tag team of Frost and Kain, Blood Omen and two very big names in the SCW who have been rather dominate atop the tag ranks, some say they could end up holding them for a record number of days, what’s your thoughts, first on Blood Omen?

Ace leaned back, a bit more in his comfort zone as he clasped his hands together in his lap as he shrugged his shoulders and looked to Belinda.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
The fact is, tag team wrestling is a lost art, it’s not just SCW who needs a division, it’s everybody from mainstream to independent federations just like SCW, you see, I know this, and I know a bad team when I see it, Blood Omen? They don’t have any chemistry. You’re lucky if you get both of them to the ring at the same time, they’re both so flaky and they’re both overrated. Kain must be the goddamn Batman, I read his bio, family died all that jazz, he trained to be a fighter, I don’t care about any of that. He doesn’t intimidate me, and as for getting in the ring and I’m going to know I’ve been in a fight with him? I doubt it. He’s going to roar like a kitten, and I’m going to smack him down.

Belinda nodded and offered out her hand as she spoke.

-Belinda Simone:-
What about his partner, Frost?

Ace shrugged as he switched positions with his legs.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Flash in the pan. He’s alright, he’s cool when he comes out and flips and flops around and gets the crowd on their feet, but what’s he going to do when he gets grounded by my offense? What’s he going to do with arm drags and leg locks? What’s he going to do when I break his knee caps and his neck? He isn’t going to jump around then. Hell, the kids are chanting “619” at him when he comes out to the ring because they don’t know he’s not a luchadore. And speaking of flaky? Yeah, he’s just like his partner. The belts? Are min—Ours.

He caught himself quickly as he smirked to Derek who nodded and Belinda held up her finger and raised her eyebrows.

-Belinda Simone:-
Well, it should be known that your partner is none other than Kevin Carter, the man you spoke so highly of earlier, have you seen what he said about you already?

Ace looked to Derek who was waving his hands, but Ace couldn’t tell if he was telling the camera crew no or telling Ace no, but Ace hadn’t seen the footage, so he shook his head.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, I haven’t.

Belinda smiled and clicked ‘play’ on the monitor in front of them as clips of Kevin Carter trash talking Ace was seen, how Carter would carry Ace to the championship if he had too and how he may not even show up for the match, Ace sighed as Derek looked stricken behind him and made a pleading motion with Ace.

-Belinda Simone:-
Your thoughts on your partner?

Ace cleared his throat.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah let me tell you something about Kevin Carter—

Ace looked to Derek who was now bribing him off camera with a hundred dollar bill as Ace gritted his teeth and looked around.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
He’s a fiery competitor. Any guy that steps in that SCW ring is, and Carter can say what he wants, but I’m equal to him and deep down he knows it. Deep down I know that if Kevin Carter needs me in that tag match, that I’ll put my grudge aside for him, no matter how much I may—Dislike him.

He forced a smile that looked horrifying.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’m going to back him up, no matter what he said about me, because wrestling is what have you done for me lately type of sport if you will. Wrestlers and fans alike aren’t going to see that I beat Carter three or four weeks ago, they are going to see that briefcase and that is going to solidify him to the fans, they aren’t going to know how close I came, they aren’t going to know how I made Carter tap out, so I’ll take the high road, I’ll back Kevin Carter, even if he won’t back me.

Derek gave Ace a thumbs up as Belinda smiled and leaned forward to shake Ace’s hand.

-Belinda Simone:-
Thank you so much Ace, ladies and gentleman, this has been Belinda Simone with Ace Baldwin, and we are signing off…Good luck to you in your tag team match and good luck on getting the gold.

The scene faded with Ace and Belinda chatting and they shook hands.

 “It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.”
-Winston Churchill

Two men sat in front of a wide screen 32’ plasma screen in a suite somewhere in the middle of Las Vegas, and by the look of the window, they were right on the Las Vegas strip, a definite upgrade from the place Ace Baldwin, newest up-and-comer in the SCW had been staying, a ratty apartment just outside of the city, but how outside of Las Vegas could you really get? Ace sat in front of the television screen as the evening sun peered in the window of the suite. He had on a pair of jeans and a Las Vegas Wranglers cut off shirt on as he leaned up to take a swill of the water bottle in front of him. The man beside him, a bulkier, taller figure pointed out something on the screen, it was Derek Daniels, “The Dynamic One” just so happened was Ace’s new manager.

On the screen they were watching an SCW match, in the ring was Ace Baldwin as he locked up and arm dragged Kevin Carter. Every now and again, Derek would pause the film and point out a couple of mistakes Ace made, Ace would note them and keep on going. Derek paused it once and pointed up at the screen again.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
See, you aren’t getting off to great starts in your matches. Three matches now you’ve let the other guy get the jump on you. Right here, Carter comes out with a head of steam and, right here. You can’t come out and want to lock up with a guy like Kevin Carter, this little worm thrives on things like that.

Derek pointed it out, Ace rubbed his temples for a moment as he looked up to the screen as Derek rewound the part over and over where Carter begins with the advantage.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah but, they each gave me a cheap shot. Carter, Goth, Lucien or whatever his name is. They all attacked me either before the bell or before I had a chance to defend myself, it’s not like it’s my fault. I try and go in and lock these guys up, I can’t if they are attacking me.

Ace honestly looked a bit confused as Derek shook his head and pointed to the screen as he rewound the bit back to where Carter gets the advantage.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yeah, it’s your fault. You can’t go into these guys expecting just to lock up and try to get an advantage. You know why these guys come in and attack you from behind? Throat punch you? Take cheap shots? You are better than them. You’ve won a match in every way possible thus far, you’ve survived a fight with Goth, you’ve made Kevin Carter tap out in the center of the ring and you pinned Lucien.  That’s pretty impressive, but when you get in a big time match, you aren’t going to be able to recover from a bad start, think of it like a basketball team.

Ace nodded as he watched the match over with Derek, this had been a couple of times now they had watched it, the sun was dwindling behind the Las Vegas buildings as they talked about the match as Ace now had the remote control.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah, let’s look at this again…Rewind it.

It was Ace who gave Carter a knee strike and then hit him with a spinning spine buster and then locked him with the Ace Lock right in the center of the ring. He watched Carter give up in a matter of seconds with nowhere to go in the ring. Ace rewound it again, and again, and again.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah, yeah…Keep tapping. I can’t see that enough. I hate that twit. He had the nerve to say that he had never heard of you before, or the MMSW, and then proceeded to proclaim his greatness, and I’ve never, literally, never heard of this dude before. Then I made him my bitc—

Derek laughed and cut Ace off by grabbing the remote and rewound it back to Ace getting beat up by Carter, even if it was just briefly in the match, because in reality that is the only time Carter was in control of the match.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yeah, that’s all well and dandy, but you aren’t going to dominate Carter like that if you ever get in the ring with him again, he isn’t going to lay down for you. He’s going to want to embarrass you, kid. He’s going to want to prove a point. I don’t know when he’s going to get that chance, but you have to be ready, and you can’t get off to another slow start, not again. Got me?

Ace nodded, but snatched the remote back and played the match over again, he would ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at the moves he pulled out, and then laugh as Carter faltered, he was full of himself, which was for sure as he kept rewinding his submission over, and over. He forced Derek to watch.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I bet you could never do anything like that, could you? You nor Jack, you were never big on submissions, well, I guess that is why I came along after all…DAMN look at that dragon sleeper…Damn, who isn’t going to tap out to that? I know you would…You don’t know how good it felt to make that temperamental douche bag tap out in the middle of the ring.

He pounded his chest a bit more before Derek’s phone began to ring. He held up a finger to Ace and stood up and walked over to the large window which overlooked the strip. He held the phone to his ear and spoke.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yes…Yeah, I understand…Oh…Oh really? I see, yes…I understand. I’ll pass the word along right now, he’s sitting right here beside me. Yeah, goodbye.

Derek gave a significant smirk on his face as he closed his phone and slid it back into the pockets of the athletic shorts he wore. He walked over and sat on the couch with a grin as Ace match played. Ace looked over to him.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What? Who was this? What was it about, was it my match at Blazing Glory II? Come on! Let me know! I’m jacked! I want to get in the ring tonight. Who is it? Who’s losing?

Derek grinned and turned to Ace on the couch.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Well, you get your wish. You’re going to be going up against Kevin Carter, this time on a bigger stage. I guess they liked what you guys did last week.

Ace kind of fist pumped in the air and grinned.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Let’s go! I’ll prove him a fraud just like I did last time, put me in front of a camera, let me tell him what I’m going to do to him before I do it. I want to embarrass him, I want to make him bleed. I want him to understand who the best in SCW really is…
Ace stood up and smirked as he walked over to the window and crossed his arms, but Derek wasn’t finished, he kept looking forward.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Forgot to mention, you’ll also be in a match with Argento as well. You, Kevin Carter, Agento—

Ace cut Derek off before he could finish as Ace put both hands on the window and looked over the strip, where the lights began to flicker to life as the evening overcame the city.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What do they call that guy? The Silver Fox? Or something like that, I’m not sure. I know a bit about him, a similar time span in SCW like myself, pretty sure he isn’t undefeated, like yours truly…So I chance to kill two birds with one stone. I like it…
Derek smirked as he turned to see what Ace’s reaction would be as he announced other names. He laid one arm across the back of the couch.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
And…Blade Alexander…

Now he had Ace’s attention, just as suspected as he turned around and looked at Derek with a cocked eyebrow. He put a hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I don’t get what you’re playing at, regardless, that guy is trash as well. He’s a mouth breather just like Kevin Carter, I’ll have no problem stepping into the ring with him as well. Bring them all on, bring the whole damn roster.

Derek grinned as he stood up and placed both hands on his hips as Ace was still jacked up as he walked over to the window himself and nodded.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
And…Tommy Staggs…

Ace looked shocked at this point.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Who in the hell is Tommy Staggs? Not only that, but that makes…Five people in this match—including me, what in the hell?

Derek raised a finger, and said in his best infomercial voice:

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
But wait, there’s more. You’re going to be fighting in a reverse steel cage match, which means the person who climbs inside the cage first, wins.

Ace’s eyes stayed narrowed, he was skeptical.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So, I need to climb inside the cage to win? Easy enough, I’ll just let those knuckleheads fight one another and I’ll beat everyone in and win the match, easy, right?

Derek shook his head as Ace was all ears.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Not that simple. Or maybe, maybe it is. Get this, you have to climb inside of the cage, with five guys fighting on the outside, you have to be the one inside the cage, but not only get inside, but grab a golden briefcase, in that briefcase you might ask? A contract that gives you a shot at any title in the SCW, on any show…
Derek looked out upon the strip, it was nearing dark now as he turned around to look at Ace who had a wide grin on his face. He turned that into a classic smirk.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So, even though you made it sound like some Oceans 11 movie, you’re telling me that I have a chance at any title…On any show…

He grinned and Derek watched the youngster as he fist pumped with a laugh and jumped up onto the couch with both feet and began to leap up and down on it.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Do you even know what this MEANS for me? I’m going to be the heavyweight champion of the SCW! I’m going to be the man! I’m going to—Wow, I’ve only won three matches, but…I’M GOING TO BE THE CHAMPION! WOOO!

Derek wasn’t content though, he watched Ace with—not a scowl but a look of discontent as Ace paused from his celebration and leapt over the couch and landed in front of Derek who rubbed his forehead with his hand. Ace furrowed his brow.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What? I know you’ve been a real hard ass since you’ve become my manager…But can’t you be happy about this? Can’t you smile? Can’t you agree that I’m about to become the SCW CHAMPION? This is…This is going to be amazing.

Derek sighed and crossed his arms. He walked by Ace and turned off the DVD of Ace and Kevin Carter, which was paused on the shot of Ace who had Carter locked in the Ace Lock. He turned the player off as well as the television and looked at Ace.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I know I’ve been hard on you, but it’s easy to get lost in and around this city, sucked into the wrong things. Sure, your destiny may be the SCW Heavyweight Championship, but what about the Roulette? That is saying that you win—Look what I’m saying is you need to take this one step at a time. You have to win this match, you’re 3-0 in the SCW, you want to be looked at as a serious threat, or someone like Kevin Carter? Someone who talked a lot of shit but can’t back it up in the ring? I’m glad you want to win this, all I’m saying….One step at a time, one wrung at a time and eventually you’ll get to the top of that ladder, you can’t leap up there all at once…

Ace seemed to be brought back down to earth. He tucked his chin to his chest and nodded once more with a sigh and then looked back up to Derek.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Fine, I’ll focus on this match first, so when is training going to begin for this thing? I’ve…Yeah, come to think of it this is my first cage match….Ready when you are captain.

Ace said this sarcastically as Derek crossed his arms and nodded. He glanced over his shoulder and looked over the strip and then smirked.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
You know, you are right. You’re 3-0 right now, just got a huge win over Kevin Carter last week. How about this? Training can wait…We need to go celebrate…On me.

Ace looked up and smirked and then walked over to the window and looked back over his shoulder to Derek and laughed.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Since I’ve been here I’ve wanted to hit the strip. I’ve been here a few weeks and I’ve not been shown Vegas properly…Let’s put off training until tomorrow. I’ll go suit up!

Ace rushed off toward his room in the suite to get on his suit as Derek rubbed his chin and walked into his own bedroom.

-A Few Hours Later-

Ace Baldwin and Derek Daniels walked into the casino bar. They wore their best suits; Ace with a pink undershirt on with a matching tie, Derek rocked the blue as they walked into the bar like they owned it, quite frankly. Some heads turned as the two athletic looking men walked to the bar and sat down and ordered a couple of drinks as they sat on the stools. Derek ordered a shot for them both to start out with.

-Beer One-

Ace swirled the last bit of beer in his mug that the bartender had sat in front of them. Ace—wouldn’t be called a drinker by any means. Sometimes he drank to celebrate; he would have a beer or two with dinner, maybe on a date, maybe to pick up a woman. Derek leaned back on the bar stool and crossed his arms and looked over to Ace.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
You know, you remind me a lot like myself when I was a rookie breaking into the business. I was a little younger than you. Maybe a little better in the ring than you.
Ace shook his head and down the rest of his beer, he scoffed.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Better in the ring than me? I’m the total package, the only thing you have over me is strength. Who are you? Kevin Carter? Step into the ring and prove yourself, just don’t talk smack and not back it up.

It was all in good fun, especially how he poked fun at Kevin Carter, who had been seen on SCW propaganda crying and complaining about how overrated Ace is and how he got lucky, Ace took it all in stride.  Derek signaled for another couple of beers.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
No, I’m a hell of a lot better than that guy, and by the way. I knew he’d blame his ring rust on the loss, I’ve came out flat and looked like garbage before too and well, it’s easier to blame everybody but yourself. Who did you blame when you started losing matches in GIW?

Ace pointed at himself, right in the chest and Derek nodded.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Exactly, that already makes you better than Kevin Carter, but you don’t need to be told that, you proved him wrong. I did the homework, you made him tap out for the first time in his career from what I hear. I think this guy was wrestling monkeys are the circus or something, no way he was EVER big time…You looking forward to doing battle with him again?

Ace chuckled as he played with the mug in front of him as he waited for his other beer, the bar was crowded, but the crowd gave Derek and Ace their space.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’m a competitor; you know I love to fight as much as I love to wrestle. I may have the baby face but I’m not afraid to bleed and in a match like this, I don’t plan on bleeding, I plan on making someone bleed, and there is NOBODY I would rather make bleed than Kevin Carter, plain and simple.

-Beer Two-

Derek tossed back the end of his second beer as Ace had his head tilted back as he took a deep draft from his mug and finished his beer just slightly before Derek did.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
What about this Blade Alexander guy? What do you know about him? I’ve seen a bit about him, doesn’t seem impressive, quite frankly he seems a bit weak. I don’t think a guy like him, a high flyer wants any part of this brawl that’s going to be out on the ground.

Ace shrugged it off and leaned back in his chair again after being slightly slumped over the mug he had in front of him which was empty, he motioned to the bar tender to bring a few more over.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
All I know is I saw this goon complaining about the match type of Twitter, and really that’s all he does is bitch. He’s an emo version of Kevin Carter. Why do people complain about a match type? It’s kind of like sports fans blaming the game on the referees. It’s a part of this business. I’m going to give this blade guy something to complain about, you better believe it, when I climb into the cage, grab that briefcase and I’m just going to smile at him, and flip him the bird as I go on to become a champion.

Ace looked back over to the bartender to try and speed him up on the next beer that is on tap for him and Derek.

-Beer Three-

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I know Blade can be a bitch, but he is rather impressive here in the SCW, but I really, really doubt he has an advantage over you one on one, but that is the thing, you can’t trust this match to be a one on one situation because, they’re five people in the match, what about Argento. Know anything about him?

Ace shrugged as the third beer got sat down in front of him. He pondered the thought of the silver fox for a moment before he looked over to Derek with a shrug.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah, but no. I’ve seen him backstage. He’s something else for sure, he’s a freak of nature at 6’7” and as athletic as he is to be that tall, I’ll give him a little bit of credit unlike the other absolute trash in this match. I’ll find a way to beat him in a match like this, but if this were a one on one match, he would be the one I would be most scared of. Not Kevin Carter, not Blade Alexander, but whichever Staggs in this match, but Argento. He can back up his talk.

Derek shrugged and then nodded toward the beer in front of Ace, it seemed Ace was slowing down a little bit as Derek smirked as he finished the mug as Ace had just taken a sip.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
You slowing down already, Baldwin? Come on now, you may can out wrestle me right now, but you can’t out drink me, I guarantee you that. Kill that one and we will hop to another place.

Ace held his stomach and looked at the beer and then looked back to Derek, he shrugged and picked it up and drained it in a couple of seconds and then slammed the mug on the bar.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You can try to out drink me but it isn’t happening, just like these other four idiots aren’t going to be able to out fight me for that briefcase in the center of the ring…Let’s go….But wait…Promise me…You won’t let me gamble if I get a little inebriated.

Derek nodded and extended a fist bump for Ace and Ace went ahead and tapped it as they grabbed the jackets off the back of their chairs and Derek paid the tab as they walked out to the next bar.

-Beer Seven-

Derek and Ace find themselves in a club, after dancing with a couple of rather nice looking ladies they made their way over to the bar to order two more beers, these two in bottles as Ace leaned on the bar with his jacket tossed over his shoulder. Derek looked over.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
So what about this Staggs dude, Tommy I believe his name is. Looks like a pretty good body to have in this match, that being said I have no idea about him….You?
Ace shrugged and narrowed his eyebrows as Derek as he finished the rest of his beer and called for another bottle as he looked across the dance floor.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Dude, hell if I (hiccup) know. Those Staggs’ are like the goddamn Von Erich’s so many of them and they’re all mediocre. A lot of comparisons, but you know what? F*CK the Von Erich’s bro…Let’s go find those chicks dude.

Ace walked away from the bar with another beer in his hand as he went out to find the girls he had just been dancing with as Derek rolled his eyes.

-Beer Twelve-

Derek tried to pull Ace Baldwin away from the roulette table as he waved him off, throwing down hundred dollar bills and pushing him chips on random numbers as he hiccupped a few times.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
COME ON 32 BLACK!

He cheered as the ball spun around the wheel as Derek watched.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Um, I don’t even think you have your money on 32 black, Ace.

Ace looked over and leaned in close to Derek and then shoved him and then narrowed his eyes and opened his arms up as he hiccupped again.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
(Hiccup) Who the hell do you think you are telling me? I am killing it over here on the black jack wheel and you think you can just pull me away, who do you. Think. You. Are.

He poked Derek in the chest as Derek pointed a finger to the roulette wheel, it was safe to say the number and color Ace had double downed on had not hit. Ace turned around and hiccupped before yelling a profanity and swinging at Derek who dodged and then walked with Ace toward the bar.

-Beer Fourteen-
Derek had stopped drinking at th
is point, for anymore and he wouldn’t be able to take care of the now drunk Ace Baldwin who stumbled and blubbered into his beer.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I…Sniff..I love you man, I’m sorry I swung at you but I lost all my (hiccup) money back there and (sniff) I could use another drink and then I’m going to try and win my money back, what do you say?

Derek stared at Ace and smirked and nodded as he motioned for him to follow him to the bar where Ace stumbled in that direction.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Sure…Let’s get you another drink kiddo..

-Beer Fifteen-

Ace stood on stage with the microphone at a karaoke bar in Las Vegas as he swayed back and forth singing a very butchered version of “Hotel California”

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
WELCOME TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNYA….SUCH A LOVELY PLACE, SUCH AN AWESOME FACE…SOMETHIN’ SOMETHIN’ AT THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA!

He played some air guitar instead of singing the rest of the lyrics in the song as a familiar face swam in the crowd, it wasn’t Derek Daniels who was posted up at the bar, Ace’s suit had slowly disappeared throughout the night. Ace’s tie and undershirt was missing, only a t-shirt and dress pants remained on for Ace, Derek still had his suit on as he had began to chat it up with a blonde at the bar.

The face was none other than Ms.Rocky Mountains who was dressed rather nicely for tonight’s outing. She had a smirk on her face as she waded through the crowd to find Ace Baldwin on stage finishing up his butchering of Hotel California.
Ms. Rocky Mountains caught the eye of Ace who dropped the microphone and stumbled down to the floor where he used Rocky Mountain’s shoulders to hold himself up.

-Ms. Rocky Mountains:-
Well, hello Ace Baldwin. I do believe we haven’t been formally introduced…I’m Ms. Rocky Mountains…Backstage interviewer for the SCW…I was wondering if I could get a few words about your match coming up?

Ace of course had beer goggles on, plus Ms. Rocky Mountains could hold her won in a beauty contest, he hiccupped his way, getting a little too close to her, although she didn’t mind with a smooth smirk on her face because of Ace’s condition.

-Ms. Rocky Mountains:-
Well, how about you tell me a little about how you are preparing for what is being said could be the biggest match of your career, and honestly a great chance for you to get your first big win in the SCW and really make a name for yourself.

Ace raised a finger and started to talk but couldn’t really find the words as he looked over to see Derek fighting through the crowd to get over to where Rocky Mountains and Ace Baldwin stood as he had a hand on her shoulder to hold himself up as he swayed.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Ms. Rocky Mountains, I presume? Well, my client, if you will isn’t able to give you an interview at this time as you can see..He…Isn’t in the best of shape. He’s actually in really bad shape.

Ms. Rocky Mountains flashed a smile as Ace pushed Derek away in a very drunken matter as he waved him off, his eyes were half shut as he pushed him away.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Nah...Man…Man I’m fine. I can do this interview, I’m fine man. Anyway, you want to know how I’m training for this match—wait, what match?

He said as he laughed loudly and leaned into Derek and nudged him on the joke that wasn’t that funny to begin with but none the less, the drunken Ace thought it was hilarious.

-Ms. Rocky Mountains:-
Um, your match with Blade Alexander, Kevin Carter, Argento and Tommy Staggs, the reverse steel cage match for the golden briefcase that gives you—
Ace hiccupped and interrupted her, she had pulled a small notebook out and was taking notes as Derek stood beside Ace and watched nervously.  Ace held up his tiny glass full of amber colored liquid and tinkled the glass with the ice in it.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’m doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of that and a little bit of this. I’m drinking, I’m partying, and I’m having a good ass time, because I’M THE BEST IN SCW BAYBAY, WOOO!

Derek put an arm around Ace and laughed to Ms. Rocky Mountains who seemed to be enjoying the interview Ace was giving her.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I think what Ace means is that we are in the process of blowing off some steam before we start our real training here in a couple of days, fact of the matter is Ace has been through the grinder here in the last couple of weeks with some great competition, so it was good for him to get out and have a couple—

Ace held up his drink in his cup and let out a yell as he cackled as he hung on the arms of Derek and Ms. Rocky Mountains as he downed the rest of whatever was in that glass.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’ve only had a couple and the night is still young! Listen, Rocky Mountain woman, all you need to know is that Ace Baldwin is going to take the competition and he is going to bend them over and f—

Derek covered Ace’s mouth as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder as Derek nervously laughed, Ms. Rocky Mountains wasn’t completely sure what was going on.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Look, Ms. Rocky Mountains. We are going to train, and Ace will be ready when this match is ready for the bell to sound for it to start, plain and simple. Ace can’t be stopped…He won’t be stopped and the fact of the matter is, nobody in this match has the talent, or the skill that Ace has. Kevin Carter can get on the microphone all he wants and spout about how he’s the greatest, but he hasn’t proved it against the best, who is standing right beside me. Blade Alexander is some elitist who wants to complain and bitch and cry, you know where that gets you? Over in the losers bracket. You can take from this interview what you want to, but I want you to take one, very important thing. This man’s nickname isn’t Amazing because it’s some stupid gimmick that rhymes with Ace, or because it’s some cheap ring name. It’s because in that ring, he is amazing. In that ring he can do what nobody else can do. Not Carter, Alexander, Staggs or Argento can stop him, he’s a man on a mission, and I’ll be damned if I sit around and let him be defeated. Now…Anything else? Ace, you want to tell her—

Ms. Rocky Mountains hadn’t paid attention to anything Derek had said, because Ace was slumped over and upside down in a chair asleep. Derek sighed and walked over and slung Ace over his shoulder and turned around to Ms. Rocky Mountains.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
This interview…Safe to say, it’s over.

He winked to Ms. Rocky Mountains and carried Ace from the bar over his shoulder and out of site and towards the suite which was just a couple of blocks away as the scene faded.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

(OOC: I really hate to sandbag, but I've been super busy, even asked for a DL extension, but luckily I got back in town in time to finish this up, no coding, but enjoy! Good luck to my opponents )

*Edit fixed a spacing problem.

 

“Son, they told me once that it ain’t the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, you’ve got size and you’ve got fight. God help the dog you step into the ring with…”

-Mean Machine, owner of Mean Machine School of Wrestling, Las Vegas, Nevada

The cool breeze of a Las Vegas night, with the last dying breath of a warmer winter’s day pushed across the roof tops of the towering Casino’s on the Vegas strip. Lights flashed the city that never slept lay before us, indeed not dosing off this time of night as the sun disappeared behind the desert’s surface. The wind bounced off of the buildings and along the rooftops, it traveled all the way to a man that stood, on the top of a large resort or hotel building with his arms crossed.

He had on three piece suit, he didn’t really look ready for a wrestling match, but the three piece suit made him look like a man of importance. His eyes were focused on the lights before him, the neon flashed on and off on his face, the reflection could be noted in his unblinking eyes as he ran a tongue over his lips to wet them from the wind, his blazing blue tie which stuck out like a sore thumb against the crisp whiteness of his dress shirt and grayness of his jacket. His brown hair was short and neat, spiked up in spot places. A small, crooked smile at his lips as he turned his head to reveal just half to the viewer, it was Ace Baldwin, the newcomer to SCW.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Last week I told the SCW and I told the world, I shouted it from the damn near rooftops that I was going to best Lucien Faustus. I told everyone that would listen, every ear I came across in the back that I was going to do what I do best and that is go into the ring and take care of business like I do night in and night out. It doesn’t matter if I’m in a backyard in Texas or Madison Square Garden, you’re going to get the same performance out of Ace Baldwin every night, and Lucien didn’t listen, he didn’t listen and I embarrassed him, I ripped him a new one verbally and then went out into the ring and showed him up, and now where is Lucien Faustus? Do you see him? Do you see him on the card anymore; do you see him poking his ugly, pale face around anymore? Maybe he went to the tanning bed, maybe he saw sunlight for the first time and melted, regardless I put Lucien out of action, I beat him clean and solidly right in the center of the SCW ring, and I didn’t flinch while doing it. I told everyone I was going to head to head with this so called, “monster” and I was going to dare him to hurt me, dare him to beat me. I did, and here I stand alone on top of this casino as an undefeated man in the SCW.

He let his arms extend out and lay out over the city that lay before him as his smile brightened as he thought about his win as he stepped up to the ledge, his jacket blew back in the wind, but he stood strong, perched like a statue on the ledge.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So there is nowhere in the world where I belong, or that I deserve to be than looking over this city of lights, the city that never sleeps, Sin City, what happens here stays here. I’m destined to be here, destined for greatness here, and it all started with Lucien. I visited this company when I was being mishandled and having contract negotiations and problems with the GIW, the SCW made me feel welcome, they didn’t break their neck to try to sign me, I approached them, but from my visit I could tell one thing, I was destined to be the face of this company, to be the best wrestler in this company, and I am one win closer to prove it, you see Lucien was just the beginning, just a step.

He rubbed his clean shaven chin as he propped one leg up on the barrier in front of him while he stood on the lower one on the ledge. He nodded solemnly as he looked over the landscape, like a King overlooking his kingdom.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
A step on a road paved with gold, a red carpet laid out straight to the top, you see with me there is no fork in the road, and there is neither rough way nor easy way, there is only one: That is to win, win every single match I’m placed in, and spoiler alert, that’s going to happen. I don’t care if it’s a mixed tag match, a handicap match, a singles match, a cage match, a ladder match…None of that matters. Most ask if I’m such a big deal, why am I not already in the main event? Why am I not already up the rankings, why am I not on every show, on every banner, on every billboard from here to Las Vegas, it’s because I like to prove people wrong. I was trained with an old school mentality, I want to work my way from the bottom, from the cellar, dwelling and beating creeps like Lucien. Putting these wrestlers in their place, leaving no questions unanswered as I climb my way to the top.

He turned on his heel in his dress shoes and walked across the crunchy top on the roof, his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he spoke, the breeze lightly blowing again as he walked.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
It isn’t a notion of me being noble in the sense that I don’t want to just come in and take everyone’s spot, if you think that, or think anyone to be like that in this cutthroat industry then you are naïve, I just have the wherewithal to understand this business, and understand that if you want to take someone’s spot, then you leave no questions unanswered. So when I make my climb, and as I make my climb, nobody will ask if Ace Baldwin can get the job done, nobody will ask if Ace Baldwin can win the big one, they’ll know because of the wake of wrestlers I have defeated.

He walked to the other side, the darker side, away from the strip. It wasn’t like he was going from the city to complete darkness on the other side of the city, there was obviously more to Vegas than the strip, but this side wasn’t as lit up, wasn’t as flashy, it was more normal, compared to Vegas at least. He opened his arms toward it.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
They say when you fight monsters; you have to be weary not to become a monster yourself. They say if you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. You see since the day I stepped into a wrestling ring, I’ve walked into the so called “abyss” with two middle fingers in the air. I’ve stared monsters in the face and slapped the taste from their mouths, because that’s the type of guy I am, why should I back down? Why should I back up, why should I be the one against the ropes? The one retreating on his heels? That isn’t me.  You see, I’m not just fighting monsters…I am a monster, in that ring, between those ropes. I’m a scary human being, and the fans love it, because what is not to love? I come in that ring like a house-a-fire, time to wreck shop, like gang-busters. The fact is not any wrestler in the SCW can handle it, or match my intensity I bring to the ring. You see I don’t have to worry about staring into the abyss, I don’t want to worry about turning into a monster, I am the monster, I am the abyss.

His jacket was blown open by another soft breeze that crossed over the top of the tall building with the strip of Las Vegas at his back. He looked down at himself.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I know I don’t fit the personality of a “monster” I’m not 6’6” and weight over 300 pounds. I don’t come to the ring in a mask or flowing robes, nor do I claim to be from Hell or parts unknown or whatever the hell these people claim they are from. I don’t have to have a scary look, but when someone looks across the ring at me, when they lock eyes with me, that is when they see the monster within, that is when they are staring into the abyss, that is when they know they stand no chance because I’m going to eat them alive in that wrestling ring…Just like my next opponent will figure out…Goth…I’m not scared of anything.

He smirked and opened the door to the rooftop that led down a spiral staircase and seemed to lead to the bottom of the building he stood on, he walked as he talked.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
It’s sad really that all that has been offered up to me so far is two guys who’s IQ adds up to about six, but like I said earlier, I’ll take what I can get and I’ll not complain about it, because it’s win’s like these that make a man, it’s wins like these that people can look back on and say I really started at the bottom, grubbing on whatever bottom feeders are down here with me, and low and behold it looks like I’ve caught the biggest sucker at the bottom of the pond with this Goth fellow.

He buttoned the bottom button on his jacket on the suit he had on as he walked down a couple of flights of stairs and pressed the button as he spoke as the elevator gave a fancy noise to let Ace know the elevator was moving floors. Ace admired his reflection for a moment before the doors opened and he stepped in.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, I’m only responsible for what I say, and not what you can understand, Goth or what your tiny pea-sized brain can comprehend. When I talk, people listen and so should you. I told Lucien to not even bother showing up, I told him to not step into my ring, that I would embarrass him to the point of no return and he wouldn’t show his face in the SCW again, do you see him on the card, Goth? Do you see him levitating out to the ring and eating the heads off of bats or whatever the hell his gimmick was? No. I think you may be smarter than him, I think you may have headed the warning and I think you’ll be smart enough to not show your face anywhere near my wrestling ring on Climax Control, if you don’t believe what I’m saying, this match is over before it begins. Just look at me, and look at you…

He gazed at himself in the mirror in the elevator as he popped the jacket of his suit and smirked his ever sardonic smirk at himself.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What do you think of when you think of an Ace? You may think of a playing card, and you get excited when you have that card, no matter what the name. The term Ace in the hole, when you “Ace” a test, something you’ve probably never done in your poor, pathetic life, Goth. You can serve an “Ace” against an opponent, meaning you served a ball, whether it be volleyball, tennis, badminton or hell, even ping pong, I’m guessing you have played none of those because by watching your tapes you’re about as athletic as a slug, maybe that’s what you should change your name to. An “Ace” always means a “good” thing, that’s the first thing that pops into somebody’s head when they think of my name. What do they think of when “Goth” crosses their mind?

He pondered this for a moment as he stepped out of the elevator and pushed his hands into his pockets as he casually walked from the hotel and down the street, as he headed toward an unknown location.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Probably think of suicidal wrist slitters, at least to the casual, ignorant mind. I’m not going to poke fun at that brand of “Goth” you may see in high school. I’m not even going to poke fun at the long, weird leather robes or gowns or whatever you wear to the ring are. I could sputter lines from Wikipedia telling you what the definition and where the name “Goth” got started, but it’s like watching an actual Goth promo, ain’t nobody got time for that. Your name is negative, the connotation of your name are those wrist slitting, emotional, chain smoking, dark clothes wearing senseless douche-bags who think if they don’t conform to what is going on around them in society then they are “different” but what makes them different makes them the same. I’m going to tell you what words come to mind when I think of “Goth”, it sounds something like, terrible wrestler, and going to lose come Climax Control.

He smirked as he walked up, finally around a corner, just off the strip to a small building that seemed to be smashed in-between two other buildings. The building had an old sign out front that read “Mean Machine School of Wrestling” on it that swung from the rusty hinges, the gym looked old, musty from the outside, but the inside was spotless and housed three different wrestling rings. Ace turned.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Because you see, this city was meant to be mine. It’s a destiny for me to be in control and on top. I got my first career win, just right down the road in a National Guard gymnasium. I got my acting start just down the street at a small casino that was housing a high school play that went on the road, and last but not least, I got my wrestling start, trained, noticed, right here in Las Vegas, Nevada. Just minutes away from where Goth and I will lock horns on Climax Control…I remember it like it was yesterday.

He crossed his arms, and he pictured a young Ace as he walked up the street...Time seem to lapse.

Flashback to years prior where a young Ace Baldwin walked down the streets of Las Vegas, his hands were thrust into the pocket of his jeans as he walked. He was in town for an act, a musical act he had taken on the road with his theater group from Hollywood, just a couple of young adults trying to make it in the big time in Vegas, and they were quite good, but Ace had other intentions while he was in Vegas, to visit the famed Mean Machine School of Wrestling, where legends like Jack Michaels, Venom and “Dynamic” Derek Daniels trained.

The baby faced Ace looked and peered around each corner in the big city, he walked down the backstreets, only a piece of paper in his hands that shook with anticipation. He had his duffle bag tossed around his shoulder.  He was nervous. He had wrestled locally, sure, but never on this level. He didn’t expect the legends to even be there. Hell, they probably had events to go to, wrestling posters to sign. All James Baldwin wanted though was a try out. He didn’t ask for nothing else, but because of his round, boyish face and childlike features, no wrestling school would take him seriously, and since he was down in Vegas for a few shoes at a small, obscure theatre off the strip, he figured in his down time he would try.

He finally found the place, a small building in another block of buildings with big glass windows out front, a cheap made sign above the one door entrance, but the wrestling inside wasn’t cheap that was for damn sure. The MMSW had produced wrestlers like Dutch Clark, Derek Daniels, Venom, Jack Michaels and countless others. James had followed them religiously; he saw their work and had used it in his own matches at backyard events. He was a sight to be seen, the “pretty boy” who showed up at these back yard events to be battered and maimed all for a win.

He took a deep breath and placed a hand on the door and pressed forward and was stunned. It must have been lunch, several smaller than normal wrestling rings sat in the rather large building, with a gym off to the side with dumbbells and punching bags. Nobody was using the building at the moment but an older man with a mustache and a younger man that sat next to him, Jack Michaels and Derek Daniels. They both turned to look at the baby faced boy who walked in. Derek nodded to him, he stood around 6’4” and Jack Michaels, the older man stood at around 6’3”. Derek wore a t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
What can I help you with, kid?

Ace looked, gulped and dropped his bag.

-James Baldwin:-
I’m…I’m looking for a tryout for this school of wrestling, nothing more. Just a try out.

Derek looked over to Jack who shrugged and then chuckled and shook his head.

-“The Blast” Jack Michaels:-
Have at it, he’s like 13. I’m going to the back to make some calls.

Jack Michaels walked off, James was flat out distraught. His heart pounded against his rib cage, they couldn’t turn him down like so many others had before? Derek walked over, he was just barely taller than James by a couple of inches. He snorted.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Trust me kid, you don’t want to mess that face up in the ring, stick to your day job, selling papers or whatever, this ring…It isn’t for the faint at heart.

He patted the kid on the shoulder and walked away, James narrowed his eyebrows, a flash of the Ace Baldwin we see today began to protrude from the naïve boy who walked into the wrestling school’s walls. James proudly puffed his chest out.

-James Baldwin:-
Just give me a shot, man. I’ve watched you before, you’re good. I want to learn. I want to be the best. I’ve never wanted something so bad in my entire life. I’m an actor, a poor one at that. I’m never going to make it in the big times, just give me a shot, which is all I’m asking.

Derek turned and looked to him, he raised an eyebrow curiously.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
An actor? And you want to try and get into this wrestling school? Kid we only produce the best, world champion material, if you aren’t that. You don’t get a shot. You just don’t have it, you’re  a kid. A kid with a dream, and sorry, this isn’t “make a wish”. I can’t grant your dreams. You’re welcome to hang around and look, but we can’t accept you.

He turned to go get some coffee from the kitchen but James balled up his fingers into a fist and lowered his head, he looked back up.

-James Baldwin:-
You have no idea what I can do in that ring….

He pointed to it as Derek slowly turned on his heel. He looked to the ring and then to Baldwin who stood there, determined. Maybe Jack missed something on the kid, maybe he could go. Derek turned and crossed his arms.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Really? What’s your name kid?

James perked up now.

-James Baldwin:-
James…James Baldwin.

Derek smirked, he looked down at his watch, and then back to Jack who had made his way back out into the ring area but was filing paperwork silently at a bench.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Well, Baldwin. You want a shot? Tell you what. You do a match with me with a five minute time limit, I’ll give you half a years tuition free. You lose? You walk out that door and find a wrestling school that will accept you…Deal?

James thought his heart was definitely going to come flying defiantly out of his rib case, but he slowly nodded as a cold chill hit his stomach. This was his shot, his one opportunity. He had to make the most of it and give Derek Daniels the match of his life….James nodded curtly.

-James Baldwin:-
If I don’t hang with you for five minutes, I don’t deserve to be in the Mean Machine School of Wrestling. Let me get my gear on.

James grabbed a pair of old, goodwill trunks, handmade boots and an old LA Lakers shirt and went and changed into it quickly as Derek climbed into the ring and looked to Jack who produced a stopwatch and made his way to ringside, although he didn’t see anything in the kid, it would be interesting to see how Derek would handle him as well. Ace rolled into the ring and tugged on the ropes and tested them. The ring was sturdy and especially harder than the make-shift backyard wrestling ring he was used to. He looked across the ring to the first ever Undisputed Champion in EWE history and gnashed his teeth…..

Derek growled and circled James like a caged animal and rushed at James who was quicker than he looked and nailed a long arm drag on Derek, Derek rushed again, another arm drag. James was the quicker to his feet this time and leapt into the air and drop kicked Derek in the shoulder sending him bouncing over the top rope and to the floor. Derek slapped the apron angrily as James peered down at him. A sound of clapping could be heard over the scene as Jack Michaels stood at the entrance to his office, a curt smile crossed his lips as he clapped. He walked up to Derek and placed a hand on his shoulder.

-“The Blast” Jack Michaels:-
What happened, Derek? I thought this kid was a rookie.

Ace had his fist clenched, ready to fight for his life, ready to earn his spot in the school that had put out so many quality wrestlers, he breathed hard and deep, even through the limited action just because his adrenaline coursed through his very veins. Derek looked up, slightly amazed at the young gun.

-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
This kid isn’t a rookie, he’s an ace…

Jack smirked up to James in the ring and nodded.

-“The Blast” Jack Michaels:-
Well, I’m sure we have a place for this Ace in our school…What do you say?

Derek looked up and flashed a smirk and nodded.

…………………………….

Ace turned around from the building, as if he just got done telling a story as he smirked, the lights bounced off of his face again.

-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
The difference between you and I, Goth. I’m powered by this city, energized by it and I am more fired up in my career than I have ever been before, and this should scare the living hell out of you, because you aren’t going to ‘pick me from your teeth’, I’m going to wipe your blood and whatever you leave behind on the apron as I walk out of the ring from whipping your ass from pillar to post, then, and only then will you understand, will you comprehend what it is like to be this good, what it is like to be this great and what it takes to be…This Amazing, something you, my friend…Will never have.

He turned his back on the Mean Machine School of Wrestling and walked away.